This invention relates to sheet metal connectors which use nail fasteners in joining wood framing members in building structures to other wood members or to metal or concrete members.
Specifically, the present invention relates to the construction of the sheet metal connectors so that the location points for fasteners can be located by visual or tactile feedback.
The state of the art in constructing sheet metal connectors is to form pre-punched nail openings in the connectors at the factory to indicate where the nail fasteners should be inserted through the connector. A carpenter or do-it-yourselfer attaches the connector by hammering a nail through the pre-punched openings.
The state of the art method of attaching connectors is simple, well accepted by the building trades, but swinging a hammer all day is fatiguing, and productivity slows as a result.